LAX94LA287

Factual narrative

On July 16, 1994, at 1307 hours Pacific daylight time, a Piper PA-28-140, N6785W, collided with a fence after an in-flight loss of control during takeoff from runway 23 at the Elko Municipal Airport, Elko, Nevada. The airplane was being operated as a personal flight by the second pilot/co-owner when the accident occurred. The airplane sustained substantial damage, and the two pilots were not injured. The flight was destined for Grants Pass, Oregon. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. Both pilots reported encountering a downdraft at 200 feet above the ground after takeoff. The airplane descended and collided with the fence off the end of the runway. The winds at the airport were reported to be from 350 degrees at 18 knots gusting to 54 knots at the time of the accident. Runway 23 is 7,211 feet in length and 150 feet wide. Neither the pilot nor student pilot submitted an aircraft accident report. The pilot surrendered his pilot certificate to the Federal Aviation Administration in Reno, Nevada, on January 23, 1995. THE PILOTS ATTEMPTED A TAKEOFF FROM RUNWAY 23, WHICH IS 7,211 FEET IN LENGTH. BOTH PILOTS STATED THAT THEY ENCOUNTERED A DOWNDRAFT ABOUT 200 FEET ABOVE GROUND. THE AIRCRAFT DESCENDED AND COLLIDED WITH A FENCE. THE WINDS WERE FROM 340 DEGREES AT 18 KNOTS WITH GUSTS TO 54 KNOTS. THERE WERE NO REPORTED MECHANICAL PROBLEMS. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12